Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide
by Dr-Lovekill
Summary: Tak returns, driven mad from a year of drifting in space, and she will do anything to see Zim dead. Rated M for Violence, language, and character death.
1. Chapter 1: A Deadly Rescue

CHAPTER 1: A Deadly Rescue

_I feel I should start of this fanfic with an ample warning. This story will contain more violence, character death, and bloodshed than any of my previous fics. In short, Tak has gone insane from her long exile into deep space after her battle with Zim. She returns with one thing on her mind: Zim's death, and she'll do anything to make it happen. This fic is rated M for a reason. Swearing, violence, character death, and sexual themes. Be warned. _

A small Irken scout ship moved stealthily through space. The four-man crew, on a recon mission, had been out for months. Now they just looked forward to getting home. Inside the ship, one of the two pilots swiveled his chair around to look at the two soldiers posted on the craft. The pilot, blue-eyes sergeant Tef spoke.

"Hey, Pog," He said to one of the Irken soldiers. "Aren't you going to take your invader test soon?"

"Four weeks." Pog replied proudly. "And I can't wait to be made an invader. Maybe I'll get assigned to a planet full of snacks and grog."

"Yeah," Private Sneeg laughed from across the narrow compartment. "Or maybe the Tallest'll send you to a planet inhabited by beings of solid waste, and oceans of urine as far as the eye can see."

"Couldn't be any worse than these boring-as-Hell scouting missions." Tef scoffed. "And at least you'll get to…" He was interrupted by a beeping from the control panel. He sighed and turned around. Bit, the other pilot, was looking with confusion into a screen. "What have we got?" Tef asked.

"Looks like another ship. A small one. Just…drifting." Bit replied.

"Any identification?"

"No response to hailing signals, but look…it looks Irken."

"Let's check it out." Tef ordered. "They might need help."

The airlock between the ships hissed open. Pog entered the small pod with Sneeg close behind. Sneeg held his rifle close, and looked around nervously. Pog allowed his eyes to become accustomed to the dimness, then took in his surroundings.

"What…the hell?" He muttered. Scribbles and crude drawings covered almost every inch of the inside of the craft, rough pictures of what appeared to be the same Irken in various forms of torture and dismemberment, along with the words 'Die', 'Time' and 'Zim', especially 'Zim'. The images and words were scrawled all over the inside of the pod as if by the hand of a madman. The soldiers looked at each other, a bit of fear in their eyes. A sound brought them to attention. It sounded like a low female voice crying…or was it laughing? Pog and Sneeg crept upon the single pilot seat in the pod, ready for anything.

What they saw was unexpected. A pair of beautiful purple eyes set in a green-skinned face looked up at them. A female Irken sat in the chair, her knees pulled up to her chest. Her pink and purple uniform was worn and ragged. A metal tube ran from above her left eye to the back of her head, possibly from an injury earlier in life.

Hey," Pog said softly. "It's alright, miss. We're gonna get you out of here." The female Irken looked up at them with a frightened expression.

"Over a year." She spoke in a whisper. "A year, I've been here, alone." Pog looked at Sneeg, motioning toward the female Irken with his head. Sneeg gently grasped her limp arms, helping her to her feet.

"We're here to help you." Pog assured. The female Irken smiled strangely.

"Yeah," She said. "But who's going to help you?" In one quick move, she pulled a sharp piece of metal out of her sleeve, turned, and slit private Sneeg's throat upon. Green blood poured down the front of his purple uniform, and he grabbed his throat, falling to the deck. The Irken snapped forward, driving the metal shard into Pog's right eye before he could react. She placed a hand over his mouth to muffle his scream, and pulled herself around behind him.

"Thanks for the help." She said seductively, running her free hand down Pog's right leg, and pulling his pistol from its holster. "Couldn't have done it without you." She snapped his neck, and carelessly let his body fall.

Aboard the scout ship, Tef heard a loud clang from the pod. He turned and looked at the hatch. Bit looked at him worriedly.

"Check it out." Tef ordered. Bit nervously walked to the hatch. Pushing a few buttons beside it, the door slid open. Bit peered into the darkness.

"Hello?" He called. A laser shot rang out, and Bit fell dead with a hole between his eyes. Tef gasped in fear, and grabbed the communications speaker, and spun around in his chair, dialing in the connection to his commander.

"Go ahead, SS-127." The commander's voice stated.

"Help me!" Tef pleaded. "Mayday, Mayday, damn it! I need help, NOW!" He heard a click behind his head and froze.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." A voice behind him said. "I'm sorry. I…don't think they're going to make it." The voice sounded female, and Tef would've even considered it sexy, hadn't he been scared senseless. He turned slowly, raising his hands in surrender. He found himself facing a lovely female Irken, leveling a laser pistol between his eyes.

"Don't kill me," Tef said, shaking. "I…I just wanna go home."

"So did I." She said coldly, and then fired.

_So, what did you think of the first chapter? Send me reviews, and I'll post the next one. Till then, cheerio._


	2. Chapter 2: Earth, Two Months Later

-1 CHAPTER 2: Earth, Two Months Later

_Is everyone enjoying the story so far? In this chapter, the action picks up a little more as Tak makes it to Earth. I also delve a little more into Tak's insanity. So fasten your seatbelts, my angry caffeinated amoebas, and get ready for chapter 2. I don't own Invader Zim, savvy? _

A pink and purple craft flew over the forest. At the controls sat an Irken. His large red eyes scanned the wilderness below, where a herd of deer drank from a picturesque stream. Zim, the green skinned Irken laughed maniacally as he dove his Voot runner toward the animals. The deer scattered, leaping off into the safety of the woods. He brought the ship back up to cruising altitude.

"Filthy Earth mammals!" Zim exclaimed, "They're no match for Irken technology. Victory for Zim!" He pushed a button on the control panel of the ship. "GIR!" He called to his robot servant.

"Yes master?" A voice replied through the radio.

"Ready the base, GIR. I'm on my way."

"Did you get me any of those taquitos?" GIR asked happily.

"No, GIR, I didn't." Zim said with some irritation in his voice. "Now get the base ready. When I return, I…" He was interrupted by his ship suddenly lurching forward. "Eh?!" Zim exclaimed. His ship rocked again. Zim looked into the side view mirror. A larger Irken ship followed him closely from behind. It sped up, bumping him again. "Hey!" Zim yelled over his radio. "Cut it out!" The ship rammed him, nearly making him loose control. "Hey! I'm an Invader!" He yelled. "Irken Invader Zim! What do you think you're doing?!" The ship sped up, pulling alongside Zim's.

"Who are you?!" Zim asked angrily over the radio. "Speak to me!" The ship swerved, pushing him to the right. Zim pulled the ship left, hitting his attacker's ship. The larger ship backed off a little, then drove in, hitting the rear side of Zim's ship, sending him spinning out of control. Zim screamed as his ship spiraled toward the trees below. The ship crashed through the canopy of leaves, hitting the ground hard. Zim groaned, unfastening his safety harness. He pushed open the Voot runner's damaged cockpit bubble, and fell out into the ground, grunting in pain as he landed. Zim coughed and sat up, watching as the mysterious ship descended through the trees, landing nearby. The ship's hatch opened, and a ramp extended to the ground.

"Who are you?" Zim called with a false bravado. He stood and dusted himself off. A figure appeared in the doorway of the ship, and walked slowly down the ramp. Zim's eyes widened as he saw a familiar pair of purple-toed buckle boots, a black and purple striped tunic, and a face he thought he'd never see again. Though now in human disguise with blue hair hanging down jaggedly on her pale face, looking at him with eyes rimmed in black eyeliner was Tak.

"T…T…Tak?" Zim stammered. He nervously eyed the pistol in her right hand.

"That's right, Zim." Tak said a little too cheerfully. "I'm back."

"You'll never take this planet from me!" Zim spat. "It's mine."

"Oh, this festering ball of reeking garbage?" Tak asked. "I don't want it anymore." She said with a slight wave of her hand.

Well, what _do_ you want then?" Zim asked. Tak smiled psychotically.

"I'm here for _you_, Zim!" She screamed. She fired a shot, grazing Zim's left arm. He fell to the ground, and quickly crawled behind his ship as Tak fired again and again.

"Tak, um, can't we…can't we talk about this?" Zim called, holding his injured arm. A shot shattered the cockpit bubble, showering Zim with the material. Zim peeked around the corner, but a shot hit the dirt just below his head. He pulled back, breathing heavily. "I gotta get away from her." He muttered fearfully. "She's gone crazy!"

Tak fired again repeatedly into Zim's ship as she slowly approached. Suddenly, the pistol clicked. She pulled the trigger again. The weapon clicked. Empty.

"Ahhhhhhh!" Tak screamed, throwing the pistol down. "Ziiiiim! I'm going to tear you apart with my BARE HANDS!" She leapt around the ship at the same time Zim jumped to his feet and began running toward the woods. "Hey!" She shrieked, "Get back here!" She broke into a run, pursuing Zim.

"Get away, you're insane!" Zim yelled. He ran through the forest, the branches hitting him in the face as he ran.

"Insane or not Zim, I'm going to tear your face off!" Tak screamed as she chased him. "Come on Zimmy, just let me cut your eyes out." Zim looked back over his shoulder. Tak was gaining on him, and he could see a small knife in her hand.

"Please, Tak…just stop, okay?" He ran on until his chest ached.

"Getting tired, you weak little baby?" Tak called. "I'm…Ahhhhh!" She screamed. Zim stopped and looked back. Tak was laying face down, tugging at her right leg. Zim cautiously approached. Tak rose up on her hands, and gave a cry of pain. Zim looked to see her right leg caught in the metal jaws of a bear trap. She looked up at Zim, sweat beading on her forehead.

"Damn you Zim." She said softly. She pulled violently toward Zim, then gasped in pain. "I'm gonna get free." She chuckled. She clenched her teeth. "And when I do, you're going to die. Slowly. I'll…Oh!…I'll tear you apart!"

"Tak." Zim said fearfully. "Why are you doing this?" Tak smiled evilly at Zim.

"Because it's fun." She whispered. She closed her eyes and giggled. Zim began backing up slowly. Tak began giggling insanely. Zim turned and ran.

Tak slowly rose to her knees. She carefully felt around the jaws of the trap. She winced in pain. The pain was almost mind numbing, but she kind of liked it. She bit her bottom lip and tried to pry the trap open, shuddering erotically at the stinging pain and the smell of her own blood. Unable to free her leg, she collapsed in pain.

"I have seen the darkened waters where the souls go…" Tak sang the Irken funeral song. "To disappear beneath the waves to where no Irken knows…" A sound caught her attention. A large human male strode through the brush. Tall and bearded, he held a short-barreled shotgun in one hand, and wore dirty human hunting clothes. Tak smiled for a moment, then put on a distressed, painful face.

"Hey," The man called. "Hey are you okay?" Tak looked at him fearfully and cringed a little.

"Please help me." She cried. "My leg's caught, and it hurts. Please, I'm so scared." The hunter placed his shotgun on the ground beside Tak and knelt down.

"Take it easy kid, I'll get you out." He pried open the bear trap, and Tak pulled her leg free. The human carefully inspected her leg.

"Ugh, it's broken alright. You're lucky you didn't loose it in that thing."

"Lucky." Tak repeated. The man picked Tak up, then retrieved his shotgun.

"My truck's over there." He said. "I'm gonna get you to a hospital."

"Thanks for the help." Tak said softly, a sly smile spreading across her face. "I couldn't have done it without you." Moments later, the woods rang out in a short choked scream that made Zim pause for a moment before continuing to run for his life.

_Looks like somebody's got murder on the brain, eh? What's poor Zim to do with a homicidal psychotic Tak after him? If I get three reviews, I'll post the next chapter. Till then, cheerio._


	3. Chapter 3: Road Rage

-1 CHAPTER 3: Road Rage

_I wrote this scene after watching "The Hitcher" starring Sean Bean. It's an edge of your seat suspenseful slash-fest, and I highly recommend it. Aside from partially inspiring this fic, part of this scene is ripped almost entirely from a similar scene in the movie, with minor changes. That said, I don't own Invader Zim or The Hitcher. Read and enjoy, or read and be terrified and never look at Tak the same way again…your decision. _

Zim ran through the forest, stopping only to catch his breath. As he panted, he heard the sound of nearby automobiles. Looking up, Zim could see that just through the trees was a very busy highway. At last, he could get away from…her.

"Finally." Zim sighed, clutching his wounded arm, "Civilization." He reached into his PAK, and retrieved his humanoid eyes and wig of black hair. Putting them on, he rushed through the tree line…and right into the path of oncoming traffic. He dodged a car. Then another. An old sedan locked on its brakes, stopping inches from Zim. He rolled out of the way as an SUV rear-ended the car, sending it lurching forward with a hideous crunching sound. Both lanes of traffic on Zim's side of the concrete-divided four lane came to a stop. Zim ran to the window of a small sports car, trying to beg for help from the woman inside. She refused to roll down the window, and instead screamed into a small cell phone.

Just as Zim began threatening the woman angrily, he turned to see three police cruisers drive up the shoulder of the road, past all of the wreckage and stop, their blue lights flashing in the business sort of way. The woman leapt from her car.

"That's him, that's him! She shouted, pointing to Zim. "He caused all of this, officers!"

"You don't understand," Zim said, backing up, "She…she's after me. She's insane and she's…gonna…"

"Calm down, son." An officer said, his hand on his holstered pistol. "Let's just go downtown and we'll talk it over. Zim looked around, and seeing his opportunity, he jumped into the woman's car, and sped off.

"A car jacking!" An officer shouted. "Get 'im!" Zim raced down the highway with the police cruisers close behind. Hoping to keep one step ahead of them, he extended his PAK's built in communicator, and switched the device to monitor all police bands.

"In pursuit." An officer's voice said. "Vehicle is a late model Lotus Elise, white in color. Plates, Mike Oscar Sierra Yankee Foxtrot eight, over."

"Roger that, Unit 17." A female dispatcher said calmly.

"Unit 6, attempting a PIT." Another officer said. A cruiser bumped the back of Zim's car. His tires squealed on the asphalt, but he managed to keep the car in control. The cruiser bumped the car again, causing it to start fishtailing. Zim was able to save the car from spinning out, but the action was too much on the car's tires, and the back driver's side tire exploded. Zim immediately felt the car begin to loose speed, but kept the car going. He had to get away, tires or no tires. That's when he heard the police radio again.

"Dispatch, be advised, a new vehicle has joined the pursuit. Vehicle is a black TransAm." Zim didn't need to see this new vehicle to realize who it was.

"It's her." He said fearfully.

Tak shifted the powerful muscle car's transmission up another gear and floored it. After disposing of the hunter and finding the road, she immediately saw the shiny black car, and decided to 'liberate' it from it's human owner. She sat stoically in the driver's seat, her clothes spattered with blood. Her right leg was splinted with three sticks and duct tape. Her eyes were empty and unemotional as she fast approached the pursuit.

She rammed the cruiser in front of her, then backed off and accelerated, pulling alongside the car. The officer looked over into the TransAm. Tak held a shotgun in her right hand, the barrel resting on the car's door. Zim heard an explosion, and looked in his car's rearview mirror as the cruiser farthest back, it's windshield coated with blood, veered off of the road, hitting the guardrail, and flipping into the air. Zim stammered in terror as he pushed the small sports car faster, its rear wheel sparking uselessly on the pavement.

Tak switched the shotgun into her left hand and leaned out the window with the weapon. She fired through the back windshield of another cruiser. It swerved, but stayed in pursuit. She took her right hand off the wheel and ratcheted the shotgun. She fired again, this time hitting the officer with some of the buckshot. Ramming the cruiser's bumper sent it into the concrete divider, where it rolled end-over end into the oncoming lanes, striking a tanker truck, causing them both to explode. She pulled alongside the last cruiser, bringing the edge of the car against the side of the cruiser's bumper. The police car fishtailed to the side, and Tak pushed the TransAm against the driver's side door of the cruiser. It rolled onto its side, then spun into the air, Tak driving underneath it just before it came crashing down onto its top.

Zim gulped as he looked back to see Tak nearing his car, with the shotgun pointed at him. She fired, and Zim ducked as his rear windshield shattered. He rose up to watch the road. Another blast sounded, and his side-view mirror exploded. Zim took the exit ramp toward the city, Tak still following closely. Zim's car now smoked, the worn-down rim sparking dangerously on the road. Another shotgun blast, and the back hatch of the car blew open, exposing the smoking engine. Tak bumped Zim's car gently.

"Stop it!" Zim shouted. "Please, stop!" He watched in horror as Tak pulled alongside. Her shotgun was leveled at him. "Tak…Tak, no." Zim screamed. "Tak…don't!" He cringed, expecting a shot. Instead, he heard a barely audible 'click'. He looked up to see Tak looking at him with a psychotic smile.

"It won't be that easy for you." She called. They both looked at the road simultaneously to see traffic stopped just ahead of them. They both locked on their brakes. Zim's car collided with a small compact car and stopped dead. Zim's head cracked the windshield as the airbag deployed. He slumped back into the seat, groaning.

The TransAm's tires screeched on the road. "Oh shit." Tak muttered unemotionally, just before her car slammed into a pickup, the force of the impact forcing the bed of the truck onto the cab, and rolling the car onto it's top. Tak crawled out of the crumpled car's window a few moments later, dragging the shotgun out with her. Using the overturned car for leverage, she stood, wincing as she put weight on her leg. Zim slowly turned, his head pounding with pain, to see Tak limping closer. She methodically loaded the shotgun and cocked it. Zim tried the door, but it was jammed. He crawled out of the shattered window, and hit the pavement hard. He got to his feet, his eyes glued on Tak.

"Leave…me…alone!" He yelled painfully.

"I'll leave you alone." Tak said coldly. "Dead and alone." Zim ran as fast as his injuries would allow. Tak watched as he disappeared from view down an alley. "Run." She muttered with a small smile. "Run, run, run, as fast as you can."

_I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I was originally going to have Tak in a different vehicle, as not to rip off The Hitcher too much, but my unwavering love of TransAms won out. That, and I've always wanted to see a TransAm own a Lotus Elise in a car chase. There are two things I sort of stuck in here to see how well you were paying attention. Can anyone guess which minor IZ character has a cameo in this chapter, and the joke behind the Lotus' license plate number? Kudos if you can. Well until next chapter, cheerio._


	4. Chapter 4: Sanctuary

-1CHAPTER 4: Sanctuary

_Are you ready for more increasing grotesqueries? Are you ready for more suspense and bloodshed? Ready to see how psycho Tak can really get? Then you've come to the right place. Read and enjoy. I don't own Invader Zim._

Zim limped quickly down street after street as the sun faded and the streetlights came on. He kept to the shadows as he searched for someplace to hide. She'd surely look for him at his base first. He just hoped that she wouldn't hurt Gir. If she did, he'd…he'd never forgive himself.

'Tak.' He thought to himself. 'Why is she doing this? So I ruined her test day…and her plan to destroy the Earth…' He thought for a moment. 'And knocked her into space.' He sighed, and in a moment of clarity rare to the Irken, he came to a realization: "Maybe it _is_ all my fault." He said softly. He shook his head. His fault or not, now was not the time. Tak was after him, and Zim knew that she wouldn't stop until he had breathed his last. For the first time in his life, Zim was actually terrified.

Zim looked up and smiled. Yes! Wait, no. Not Dib's house. He sighed again and approached the house. Cringing, he reluctantly knocked on the door. Moments later it opened, revealing Dib in his trademark blue teeshirt, black trench coat and glasses.

"Zim?!" Dib asked with surprise. "What are you doing here?" He looked at Zim wavering on his feet, his forehead and arm bleeding, scratches and cuts on his face. "Jeez." Dib remarked. "I'd like to meet whoever did _that_ to you." Zim stood for a moment, trying to find the words to say to the boy who up to this point has been his greatest enemy.

"Dib." He finally said, his voice quaking with fear and pain. "Help me."

"Help…you?" Dib sneered. "You're trying to destroy mankind. Why should I help _you_?"

"I…I don't wanna die." Zim stammered. "Please." Dib's expression softened. This wasn't natural. Zim was really frightened. Dib looked around, and seeing nothing, no sign of a trick or plot, looked back to Zim.

"Come in." He said. Dib led Zim into the living room, where Zim collapsed onto a couch. "Okay, Zim." Dib said. "You look like you spent a week in Hell with Jack the Ripper. What's going on?"

"It's…It's…Tak." Zim muttered.

"Whoa, Tak's back?"

"Yes, she's back, and she wants blood. My blood. She's after me, and she's…she's…"

"She's what?" Dib asked.

"Unstoppable!" Zim exclaimed. "I saw her caught in a hunting trap. Twenty minutes later, she was chasing me down a road, blowing up human police vehicles. Dib-human, she crawled out of a wreck that would've killed you or me."

"What have I been missing?" Dib asked, taking in the unfolding story.

"She's like a Hunter-Destroyer Unit or something." Zim explained. "She's after me. Please help me. You're the only one who can. Please."

"What do you want _me _to do?" Dib asked.

"Hide me, or help me kill her or something!"

Okay, okay." Dib said, holding up his hands. "Just calm down." The sound of a car coming to a stop outside made them both jump a little. A door slammed.

"It's her." Zim whispered."

"Go up to my room." Dib advised in a whisper. "Hide in the closet. I'll come get you when it's clear." Zim stood, and grasped Dib's hand in friendship. They nodded in mutual understanding, and Zim hurried up the stairs as the doorbell rang. Dib slowly approached the door and opened it. Tak stood on the doorstep with a large cardboard box beside her.

"Tak?" Dib asked, trying to sound surprised.

"Hello Dib." Tak said coldly. "Have you seen Zim?"

"Zim? No. What would Zim be doing here anyway?" Dib replied. Tak raised an eyebrow in disbelief, but sighed.

"When you see him, and I promise you will, tell him his base is destroyed." She smiled evilly. "Does that make you happy, Dib?"

"Yeah." Dib chuckled. "Thanks. You saved me a lot of work." Tak just scoffed, and shoved the heavy box inside the door.

"And make sure he gets this." She turned and walked back to the car, climbed in and drove off. Dib closed the door and relaxed. He had liked Tak at one point, but now there was something strange about her. She was darker, colder. It made Dib shiver. He drug the box into the center of the living room. It was a heavy cardboard shipping box with a note taped to the top. The note read simply: 'Now you have no one. You have nothing. Feel my pain before you die. Love, Tak.'

"All clear, Zim!" Dib called. Moments later, Zim cautiously descended the stairs. He stood beside Dib, staring at the box. Zim knelt, and read the note, then looked up at Dib, fear in his eyes. Zim slowly opened the box and peered inside. Tears immediately filled the Irken's eyes. He clenched his teeth and screamed in anger and pain.

"What?" Did asked worriedly. He looked into the box. It was filled with silvery metal parts and wiring.

"Gir." Zim said, pained. "He didn't desreve this."

"Hey, Zim." Dib said, trying to comfort Zim, placing his hand on the Irken's back.

"Tak!" Zim screamed. I'm gonna kill you for this!" He buried his head in his hands and began sobbing. "She's done it." Zim cried. "She's taken everything from me. My base…my ship…" He looked at the box, and began sobbing again. Dib sniffled. He'd never really questioned the emotions of an alien, especially Zim. But now he saw that Zim could be hurt too. It was almost…human. He stooped beside Zim, and put an arm around his shoulders.

"Hey, buddy." Dib said. "You've got me." Zim looked up at him and sniffled.

"Really?" Zim squeaked. Dib smiled and nodded.

"Yeah. Now come on, let's get you cleaned up. That wound on your arm looks pretty bad." Dib tried to change the subject. "And you could probably do with some food. What do ya like?"

"Waffles." Zim replied sadly. Dib helped Zim to his feet, and they climbed the stairs as new allies.

_Yes, I killed Gir. Before you come to my house as an angry mob and tar and feather me, it was necessary to the plot to kill Gir, just to show how serious the situation is. Now Zim has lost his base and Gir. What else is going to happen to the poor bastard? Stay tuned to find out. As always, reviews, please. I have Tenn tied up in my basement, and if you don't give me reviews, I'm going to give her a nice hot bath. And we all know how bad Irkens hate water, don't we? Mwahahahahahaaaaa. Anyway, until next time, cheerio dear readers._


	5. Chapter 5 Bloodlust

-1 CHAPTER 5: Bloodlust

_I'm back with a new chapter that will churn your stomachs and give you nightmares. At least I hope it does. I have little to say right now, as this chapter will speak for itself. So read and review. I don't own Zim…for a damn good reason._

Zim awakened from a nightmare. He sat up panting, and looked around the room. Moonlight shone through the single window in Dib's room, illuminating the room with an eerie pale light. Dib lie sleeping on his bed, curled up in his pajamas on top of his sheets with a baseball bat beside him. Zim smiled. 'Maybe Dib Isn't so bad after all.' Zim thought. Maybe if Earth signed a treaty with the Irken Empire some day, they could be comrades, even friends. Dib would make a fine scientist for the empire. It wasn't like Irkens didn't see ghosts now and again. They had their tales of undiscovered monsters and ancient, magical civilizations.

Zim yawned and stood up. He needed some fresh air. He stole from the room quietly, and crept down the stairs. The front door was too risky, he thought, so he exited through the back. Outside, Zim inhaled deeply. If only he had a way to contact the Tallest, he could tell them about Tak. They could send help, weapons…something. Zim imagined that it would take more than a squad to stop Tak. Maybe a platoon wouldn't be enough…

"Okay." Zim muttered. "Enough of that." He turned, and tried the door, to find it locked. "Damn." He said. "That's just great."

Dib awakened and tried to move. He found that neither his arms nor legs worked. As the last of his sleep wore off, he realized with horror that he was tied to his bed, a wrist or ankle tied to each bedpost with wire. He was gagged with a strip of thick black fabric tied around his head, making it impossible to scream, and difficult to breathe. Looking around in terror, he saw Tak rummaging through his closet.

"Mmmph!" Dib grunted through the gag. Tak turned and smiled. She rose to her feet.

"Oh, hello Dib." She said as she approached the bed. Dib struggled against the bonds, his wrists stinging with pain. "Oh Dib," Tak sighed. "You're speechless for me." She pulled out a small knife, and narrowed her eyes. You're going to tell me where Zim is." She said matter-of-factly. Dib bit down on his gag and grunted in pain as Tak slowly drew the edge of the blade down his cheek. She swiped a finger over the wound, and licked it lustfully. Her eyes met Dib's "Tell me." She said as she removed his gag.

"Dad! Gaz!" Dib screamed. Tak put a hand over his mouth.

"I'm afraid your family can't help you now, Dib." Tak said. "And no one can help _them_." She added with an evil smile. Tears welled up in Dib's eyes. "Good. Now where's Zim?" She removed her hand.

"You're insane." Dib whined.

"Yeah…probably." Tak said nonchalantly, rolling her eyes. "But I feel…you know…just great." Dib pulled against the wire again, feeling it cut painfully into his ankles.

"Tak, please." Dib begged. "You don't have to do this."

"The thing about blood, Dib," Tak said. "Is that everyone has it…it gets everywhere when you kill them…" She jumped on top of Dib, straddling him. "And it really turns me on." Dib quaked in fear as Tak used the blade to slice open his shirt, nicking him on purpose. "Oops." She said with a sick smile. Dib refrained from screaming, as he knew that Zim…wherever he was, might come to help him. He had promised to keep him safe, and Dib wasn't about to break his promise, even as Tak cut open his pants, and leaned in close, her bottom lip gently touching his. "Let's make you bleed a little."

"Tak…no." Dib whispered. Tak moved off of the bed, and Dib sobbed silently as she removed her boots and pants. He clenched his eyes shut as she climbed back on top of him, and he felt her press against him. She leaned in and licked the oozing wound on his cheek.

"How old are you in human years, Dib? Thirteen…fourteen?" Tak asked.

"Don't." Dib squeaked. Tak cut him on the other cheek.

"Where's Zim?" Tak asked again.

"I…I don't know."

"Liar." Tak hissed. She slid the knife into his side about an inch deep, and pressed her hand over his mouth as he sobbed loudly into her palm. His eyes grew wide with revulsion and fear as she forced him into her, and began moving back and forth. He sobbed silently as Tak raped him, occasionally nicking him with the knife.

"Tak…" He pleaded.

"Where is he, Dib?" Tak gasped. She licked the blood from her knife.

"Crazy…b…bitch!" Dib cried. Tak stabbed him in the right shoulder, burying the knife to the hilt, then withdrawing it. Blood ran from the wound.

"You'd better tell me before I get _really_ turned on by all this blood." She stopped moving, and playfully dragged the blade between Dib's eyes, down his nose, across his lips, and down his chin to his neck.

"O…okay," Dib stammered. "I have something…to…tell you."

"Yes?"

"Where…you need to go." Dib panted.

"Where?" Tak asked.

"You need to go…to Hell." Tak's eyes narrowed. She plunged the knife deep into Dib's abdomen. He let out a sobbing scream. She raised the knife, and brought in down into his chest, then pulled it from his body.

"You first." Tak said coldly. She climbed off of the bed, pulled on her pants and boots, and gently pulled a white bed sheet over Dib. "Nighty night." She whispered, then left the room.

Outside, Zim heard the scream. Panicking, he started to run, then stopped. He looked back toward the house.

"I can't leave him in there with her." He said to himself. He shook the door, but it wouldn't budge. He deployed the spider legs of his PAK, and blasted a hole in the door. He leapt inside, prepared for a fight. He wouldn't allow Tak to touch Dib again. He looked around. The house was dark…silent. He silently crept up the stairs, overcome with the terrifying quiet. Dib's door was shut. He turned the knob, and cautiously pushed it open. Zim gasped at what he saw. He ran to the bed, and pulled back the bloody sheet. Dib lie tied to the bed, covered in blood. Zim feared the worst as he felt for a pulse. Dib let out a small whimper.

"Dib? Dib!" Zim exclaimed. "No, no, no, no! I'll get you out of here." Dib slowly opened his eyes and coughed.

"Don't…worry." Dib said weakly. "I told…her…nothing."

"It's okay." Zim said, overcome with emotion he never knew he had. He began fumbling with the wires on Dib's wrist. "You'll be okay, Dib. I'll get you to a human hospital. You'll be fine."

"No." Dib gasped. "I…I think I'm…dying. She…I…Zim, I'm…screwed." He coughed again, and blood coated his lips. "It's not…your fault." Zim fought tears. "Go." Dib whispered. "Go, Zim."

"I won't." Zim whispered. He grasped Dib's hand in his. "Not yet. Just lie still, soldier." Dib's grip grew weaker and weaker, his breathing slower. He inhaled painfully.

"Zim. I finally…get…to see…what's on…the…the other side." Dib whispered. His eyes fluttered, and closed slowly.

"Dib?" Zim said in a whisper. He shook Dib lightly. "Dib." He released Dib's hand, and walked slowly to the door, then turned. "Thank you." He whispered, then left the room, closing the door behind him.

_Yes, I killed Dib in a very gruesome manner. Yes, I know a lot of you hate me right now, and no, nothing is sacred to me, not in this kind of story. Reviews, please. I need to know how badly the lot of you are disgusted with me right now. Until the next chapter…cheerio._


	6. Chapter 6: Endgame, Part 1

-1CHAPTER 6: Endgame, Part 1

_Sorry for the long delay in posting chapter 6. I've been busy working on the Stephenville incident. Paranormal investigation may sound like fun, but in all actuality, the bulk of it is comprised of a ton of paperwork, witness reports, research, investigator reports, and almost catching your bloody death because you spent over $1200 in modifications on your truck, but didn't spend $85.00 for a damned heater core. Anyway, there are three chapters to go until you can walk away from this fic with nightmares for a month. So read on, and review. I don't own Invader Zim._

Zim walked down the stairs of Dib's house, his head hung low. The house smelled of blood, of death. The solitary Irken closed his eyes as he reached the last step, and leaned on the rail, laying his head on his arms. 'Is this it?' He thought. 'Is this her revenge? Why not just me? Why Gir? Why Dib?' Irkens were a warrior race, but in war, it was always clean, efficient: just kill the enemy, and enslave the ones who surrendered. For all of his desire to conquer, Zim would never fight like _this_. It was…wrong. He sniffled and raised his head. No more running. It was either him or her. He clenched his fists hard, feeling his claws dig into his palms painfully. She would be the one to pay. She had taken everything from him, and now it was Zim's turn to get even.

He walked into the living room, and fell onto a couch. He looked over at the box containing the remnants of Gir, and felt tears forming again in his eyes.

"Come get me." Zim whispered. "What are you waiting for?" As if on cue, the telephone rang, making Zim jump. He looked at the device as it rang again. On the third ring, he slowly picked up the receiver. "Hello?" He sighed.

"Hello, Zim." Tak's voice said grimly.

"Tak!" Zim exclaimed. "You murdering bitch!"

"Oh, sorry about that." Tak said tauntingly. "If it's any consolation, He was the best I've had in a while."

"Fuck you." Zim said, remembering the phrase humans use in similar situations.

"Are you ready to die now, Zim?" Tak asked.

"Only if I get to take you with me." Zim growled.

"They all begged for their lives before I was finished with them." Tak said. "I want you…to beg for death." Zim clenched his teeth in pain and anger.

"You'll beg for _your_ life." Zim said, pained. "For what you did to Gir…to Dib. I'm going to kill you."

"Ooooo." Tak said mockingly. "I like blood, you know. Really does it for me. I look forward to tasting yours. The junkyard. One hour. Don't make me come looking for you. Bye, Zim." Zim ripped the phone from the wall, and threw it across the room. He looked once more up the stairs, then ran from the house.

The junkyard was dark and quiet as Zim crept down the valley between the two walls of crushed cars, set into stacks. The moonlight hit the twisted metal of the mechanical corpses, giving the entire scrap yard a sinister feel. 'Why do humans have to have junkyards?' Zim found himself wondering. 'It's almost like they're addicted to death, and even have to have a burial ground for their transport units.' A soft metallic clang brought Zim from his thoughts. He looked around nervously.

Tak?" He called. "Tak? I know you're here." He removed his black wig and contacts, and dropped them onto the oily ground. "Show yourself!" There was another clang, and Zim spun around, to find himself facing nothing. Suddenly, he felt a searing pain in the back of his head as Tak dove from a stack of cars, striking Zim in the head with a lead pipe. Zim fell to the ground, writhing in pain. Tak hit the ground, feeling a wave of pain from her broken leg, and fell onto her hands. Tak got back to her feet as Zim stood. They looked into each other's eyes for what seemed an eternity.

"Ready to die?" Tak said with an evil grin.

"Let's get this over with." Zim said coldly.

_The final battle was originally one chapter, but I've expanded it into two in order to give greater detail to the upcoming action. I'll have chapter 7 posted either later tonight or tomorrow. So as always, give me your thoughts, comments, questions or death threats, and I'll keep the story coming. Till the next chapter…ahhh, you know the drill. _


	7. Chapter 7: Endgame Part 2

-1 CHAPTER 7: Endgame Part 2

Tak swung the lead pipe at Zim's head. Zim dodged the pipe, and kicked Tak in the stomach. Tak staggered back a step, then lashed out with the pipe again, striking Zim in the arm. He fell with the blow, barely saving his arm from being snapped by the impact. Tak tried to bring the pipe down on his face, but he rolled clear, and kicked the pipe from her hands. Tak went for the pipe, but Zim dove into the back of her knees, taking her to the ground. She kicked Zim in the face, but he kept his grip on her. They rolled in the dirt, both fighting to reach the pipe. Zim reached out for it, but Tak grabbed him by the throat, and grabbed the pipe herself.

"How does it feel, Zim?" She asked amidst the struggle. She rolled him over, and pinned his arms to his sides with the pipe. She leaned in close. "How does it feel to loose everything? Huh?! How does it feel to know that you're about to die…worthless and alone?" Zim head butted Tak, causing her to loose her balance. Zim toppled her off and leapt up, kicking away the pipe, which skittered underneath an old car. Tak looked up, her face streaked with dirt, sweat and blood.

"Your little robot squealed like a baby as I tore him apart." Tak smiled. Zim kicked her across the face, sending her onto her back. She smiled evilly, tasting the blood on her lower lip. "And I think it kind of turned Dib on as I lay on him, cutting him up." Zim kicked again, but Tak grabbed his foot and twisted his ankle. Zim fell to the ground, gripping his now sprained ankle in pain. Tak stood woozily and looked down on Zim. Zim began backing away on his hands. "Where are you going, Zimmy?" Tak called, keeping pace with him. He tried to crawl under a car, but Tak grabbed his leg, and dragged him out. Zim came from underneath the car with the pipe in his hand, and before Tak could react, Zim struck her across the right side of her head. She yelped and fell to the ground.

Zim struggled to his feet, and limped toward a huge behemoth of a machine at the end of the row. First rule of combat: always fight on ground of your own choosing when possible. He climbed the ladder, his aching body fighting against every move he forced it to make. He finally reached the top, and fell onto a conveyer belt littered with large scraps of metal, engine blocks and bumpers. He looked toward the end of the belt, where two huge cylinders, covered in sharp steel teeth grinned menacingly back at him. Apparently, the old car parts were shredded by the machine to be recycled. Zim grunted at the brutality of the operation, but had little time to reflect on it. He heard Tak climbing the metal ladder.

Tak reached the top of the ladder, but before she could make her move, Zim grabbed her hair (her antennas is she were in Irken form), and dragged her onto the conveyer belt. He punched her in the face, stunning her only for a moment. She wrapped her legs around Zim's neck, and brought him down. The move caused pain to shoot up Tak's leg, making her cry out, and crawled slowly backwards. Her hand touched something cold and metallic. She looked down to see her hand resting on a two foot piece of steel, like a sword. Picking it up, she stood slowly, her leg sending a grinding pain through her body. She focused through the pain, and narrowed her eyes at Zim.

"Time to die now, Zimmy." She hissed. Zim stood, and looked around. To his right was a control panel. The controls to the machine. He half fell onto the control panel, and switched on the metal switches. The conveyer belt started with a sudden lurch. Zim, his left foot still on the belt, stumbled and fell. Tak stepped back a few steps to balance herself, and remained standing. "Nice try." She sneered. She started to walk toward Zim to finish him once and for all, but felt a pain in her right leg. Looking down, she saw that her impromptu cast was caught on a large piece of twisted metal. She looked back at the spinning metal shredders, then back to Zim.

"Zim!" She screamed over the sound of the metal ripping machine. She tugged at her leg, dropping the weapon. "Ziiiiim!" She fell forward, and looked back at the nearing doom. "You won't! You won't let me die! You can't!" Zim leapt onto the catwalk, and looked at Tak coldly. "Ziiiiim! Please!"

"I told you you'd beg for your life!" Zim yelled. Tak tugged at her leg once more and looked back. A sadistic amile crossed her face, and she bit her lip.

"Yes!" She screamed. The rotating blades drew closer. "I've been a bad girl! Chew me up, you lovely bitch!" Zim held a hand over his mouth. "Do it!" Tak screamed as the piece of metal was drawn into the jaws. "DO IT!" Tak began laughing maniacally as her leg was slowly drawn in. Blood sprayed out of the machine. "ZIM!" She laughed. "She likes me!" Tak let out a bloodcurdling scream as her head disappeared into the rotating shredders. Zim panted, trying not to become physically sick from the sight and smell of what he'd just witnessed. He shut the machine down, and slowly crawled down the ladder.

"It's…it's over." Zim muttered. He looked into the night sky. "It's over." He remembered the ship in the woods that Tak had come back on. Zim had no reason to stay. Not anymore. He sighed, and walked into the night.

_Well? What did you think about THAT lovely chapter? Only the epilogue to go. Send me your comments. Until I get the epilogue up…eventually, I bid you…cheerio._


	8. Chapter 8: Two Weeks Later

-1CHAPTER 8: Two Weeks Later

"How is the patient?" Doctor Alhib asked the nurse on duty. They stood in a quiet hall of the large, bustling metropolitan hospital's trauma ward. Doctor Alhib, or 'Al' as his patients and the nurses called him, scanned over a clipboard. The nurse looked around nervously.

"The Jane Doe is doing remarkably well." She said with disbelief in her voice. "To have been passed through a metal shredder…frankly, it's a miracle she survived at all."

"I agree." Dr. Alhib said, sounding a bit detached. He looked again at the chart on the clipboard. "And…her injuries are nearly healed? How is that?"

"I don't know, doctor, but…" The nurse paused, and leaned in close as if worried that the nearby IV drip cart might overhear. "You know that backpack that we thought had somehow become fused to her back during the accident?"

"Yes. What of it?"

"Well…" The nurse began. "Doctor Keegan arrived today…" Dr. Alhib' eyes grew wide.

"Dr. Keegan…here? What did he say?"

"Well…" The nurse sighed, as if trying to decide how to continue. "It…the pack…seems to be some sort of life support supercomputer. We had to leave it on in case removing it would kill her. Whoever built it was an…an engineering genius."

"And you've kept this quiet?"

"Yes doctor. The only people who know are you, Dr. Keegan, and the nurses that have been attending to her. No one's going to talk." The nurse lowered her voice again. "But doctor, that's not all." Alhib glanced up from the chart. "Her blood is like nothing I have ever seen. Dr. Keegan is baffled as well. The blood cells replicate at an alarming rate, and the serum itself turns a dark green upon leaving the body. An X-Ray shows that the body cavity only contains a single, multi-compartmental organ, almost as if the heart, lungs, Hell, the whole circulatory, respiratory and digestive system were one organ."

"Is she awake?" Dr. Alhib asked.

"Barely." The nurse replied.

"Excuse me." Alhib said curtly. He pushed past the nurse, and began walking briskly down the hall. "Tell no one!" He called.

Doctor Alhib entered the private ward with an air of authority. An older balding man with a white beard, wearing a lab coat over his tweed suit sat beside the hospital bed.

"Doctor Keegan." Dr. Alhib said cordially.

"Doctor Alhib." Keegan replied respectfully.

"Doctor," Alhib said. "You're the expert on theoretical biology here. What is your opinion?"

"Well…" Keegan began. "Given the bio-support system, the anomalies in her physiology…I can only conclude that she is at least partially…a cybornetic organism, possibly outfitted with all of this gear in secret, possibly at an early age." Keegan looked at the sleeping patient, then back to Alhib. "She's been drifting in and out all morning. Last time she was awake, I was able to discern a possible name." Alhib's eyebrows raised. "Tak."

"Just marvelous!" Alhib exclaimed, throwing his arms up in frustration. "We have a cyborg girl in our hospital named Tak, who survived being put through a metal shredder. What if the media gets wind of this? The government?" He looked at the patient. She looked to be a young girl, fourteen or fifteen at the oldest, but with all of the bio-mechanical alterations, she could be much older.

"Mid to late twenties." Keegan said, as if reading Alhib's mind. "This based on skeletal structure, muscle development, and the condition of the teeth. She looks much younger though, no doubt due to being so much machine, you understand. This must be the case, or else…"

"What, Doctor?" Alhib asked."

"Well, one of the nurses had a theory that perhaps she's not even human, but an extraterrestrial life form."

"We have enough to worry about." Alhib said. "Let's stay with the most logical conclusions until we can talk to her."

"Look." Keegan said in a hushed voice. "She's waking up." The blue-haired girl stirred in the bed. Her eyes slowly opened, and she blinked, looking from one of the doctors to the other.

"Where…where am I?" She asked.

"Relax my dear." Dr. Keegan said softly. "You're safe. You're in a hospital." Tak looked around the room, taking in her surroundings. Doctor Alhib approached, pulling a small penlight from his pocket. Tak flinched.

"No. No. It's okay." Alhib stated. "I'm just checking your eyes." Tak relaxed, and Alhib leaned in, observing Tak's pupils. Underneath the sheet, Tak slowly pulled a long IV needle from her arm. She smiled sweetly at Dr. Alhib.

"You have something on your neck." She whispered.

"Really?" Dr. Alhib asked, unconcerned. "And what is that, now?"

"This." Tak said. She stabbed the needle into Alhib's throat, and pulled, opening his neck and severing his vocal cords. She leapt from the bed, tearing loose the rest of the IV's. She looped an IV tube around Keegan's neck before he could react, and twisted it tight. He fell to his knees as Alhib collapsed. "Die already!" Tak sighed. She grabbed Keegan's head and twisted, breaking his neck. She walked casually up to Dr. Alhib, who lay convulsing on the floor in a pool of blood. She fished through his pockets, retrieving a set of keys, which she jingled playfully.

"Thanks for the help." Tak said with an evil grin. "Couldn't have done it without you."

_Well there it is, FINALLY FINISHED. Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. I've been quite busy of late, and haven't had the time to work on the fic. Well, Time is wasting, and I must begin work on my next fic, so until then…cheerio._


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